Christy Sims nearly died when her former boyfriend attacked her and threw acid on her face and body.
Even though she survived, she is still badly burned and disfigured.
Sims had been trying to back out of a six-year relationship with a controlling and possessive boyfriend when she came home one Sunday in 2013 to find him waiting for her. “I walked to the bathroom and I stopped in my tracks because he was standing there holding a bowl,” she said. “I didn’t know what was in that bowl.”
The bowl was filled with sulphuric acid. “And the next thing I know he’s right in front of me he’s dousing it on my face,” she said.
Sims said that the road to recovery, and the road to telling her story, has been difficult.
“Sometimes, you’re forced into situations where you’re forced to rise to the occasion,” she said. “You do things you never thought you could do before.”
She went on to say that it was sometimes difficult because of how different she looks now. “I can look at my old pictures and say, God, I was cute I was pretty,” she said. “I didn’t know I was pretty when I was pretty.”
And yet, Sims’ focus has been on becoming an activist and public speaker. She has also started a non-profit focused on preventing domestic violence.
“I’m going to focus a little differently,” she said. “A lot of people focus on helping victims; I want to focus on prevention, education and awareness.”
Sims has discovered inner beauty and strength as she reached out to help save the world, one person at a time.
